Dover - Project Lead the Way (PLTW), the nation's leading provider of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, will partner with seven Delaware high schools to offer an Engineering Career Pathway program announced by Gov. Jack Markell last week.

One key to the success of the PLTW program is intense teacher professional development, which PPG Industries Foundation, the world’s leading coatings company, will underwrite on behalf of each school.Through PPG,the company will sponsor teachers from across the state to attend a two-week summer training institute at the University of Delaware. As a result of PPG’s commitment, more than 140 high school students will enroll in an engineering program this fall.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work with the Delaware business community in support of our schools and teachers,” said Mark Murphy, Secretary of Education. “The Project Lead The Way program provides students with a strong foundation in STEM and the opportunity to pursue continuing education and a career.”

The schools that will have PLTW Engineering program this fall are: Appoquinimink High School, Hodgson Vocational Technical High School, Middletown High School, Newark Charter High School, Polytech High School, Smyrna High School, and Sussex Academy for the Arts and Sciences High School.

“PPG is committed to supporting engineering education through programs that focus on student achievement and teacher development.We are excited to support Delaware educators to expand engineering curriculum at local schools,” said Neal Nicastro, Dover Plant Manager, PPG Architectural Coatings.“PPG is delighted to be the first industry partner to support the advancement of the State of Delaware’s career and technical education system by building a relationship with Project Lead The Way.”

PLTW provides hands-on, project-based curricula and high-quality teacher professional development through a network of corporate and community partners.Students engaged in the PLTW curriculum develop the skills necessary to succeed in the global economy as recognized by colleges, universities, and numerous national organizations.

“The University of Delaware is thrilled to partner with the Department and PLTW to offer high-quality professional learning for educators,” says Dr. Amy Trauth-Nare, Associate Director of Science Education at the University of Delaware Center for Teacher Education.“We believe that integrating PLTW programs into our education curriculum will create a pipeline of talented young adults, eager and prepared to pursue STEM-related careers.”

For more information on Engineering programs in Delaware or PLTW, please contact April McCrae, Delaware STEM Coordinator, by phone at 302-735-4093 or Jennifer Cahill, PLTW Senior Director of Media and Public Relations, by phone at 317-669-0871.

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UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

Tracing its heritage back to 1743, the University of Delaware (UD) is a state-assisted, privately controlled institution with an enrollment of more than 17,000 undergraduates and 3,500 graduate students. The University offers degrees in a broad range of disciplines across seven colleges, and is a land-grant, sea-grant and space-grant institution. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies UD as a research university with very high research activity -- a designation accorded fewer than 3 percent of U.S. colleges and universities.